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A 29-year-old man suspected of starting a fire that led to the deadly Pacific Palisades wildfire has been indicted by a federal grand jury. Twelve people died in the fire earlier this year. Large parts of Los Angeles were destroyed.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, who was arrested in Florida and previously lived in Pacific Palisades, is charged with three counts in connection with the alleged arson. Arson of property used in interstate commerce, destruction of property by fire and setting fire to wood, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
If convicted, he could face up to 45 years in prison. The minimum sentence is five years.
The origin of fire
The fire that Rinderknecht allegedly set was initially known as the “Lachman Fire” and was quickly extinguished. What the emergency services didn’t know at the time: The embers of the fire continued to burn underground. And came to the surface again on January 7th due to strong winds. The resulting Palisades Fire became one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history. It devastated 23,400 acres of land and nearly 7,000 homes in the Pacific Palisades region. The damage is estimated at around $150 billion.
Rinderknecht was arrested earlier this month.
Investigations and suspicions
According to an affidavit from an investigator with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Rinderknecht was working as an Uber driver on New Year’s Eve. It is unclear exactly when he is said to have started the fire. However, investigators believe he drove to a hiking trail in Pacific Palisades, near his former home, and then walked to an area called “Hidden Buddha Clearing.”
The fire was first detected by environmental monitoring platforms at the University of California, San Diego, around twelve minutes after midnight. Rinderknecht is said to have tried to call 911 at the same time. But due to a poor cell phone connection, the call didn’t go through. After several more attempts, he finally reached the police. But the fire had already been reported by other residents by then.
During the phone call with the police, Rinderknecht is said to have entered a question into ChatGPT: “Are you to blame if a fire breaks out because of your cigarette?” ChatGPT responded “yes” and provided an explanation, according to the investigative documents.
Unusual behavior at the crime scene
When Rinderknecht left the place, he is said to have encountered firefighters who were on their way to the source of the fire. He later explained that he turned around and offered them his help. Behavior the ATF agent described as “highly unusual.”
The affidavit also states: “Arsonists sometimes like to watch firefighters respond to the fires they set.” The document contains further clues about Rinderknecht’s possible intentions. Including several ChatGPT requests about fire.